Hi all,

My dad has a '84? 4-door coupe, ea81, pushbutton 4wd automatic. The trans has started to not shift into reverse.

 

I got a transmission from GravelRX. It was out of an '86 3 door. It had a carbed EA82. It's also a pushbutton 4wd auto.

 

The engine in the donor car was locked up, so I couldn't remove the torque converter. (I guess I could have removed the flexplate, but hindsight is 20/20.)

 

I told him to get a torque converter for an '86, he calls me back and says that the Subaru dealership told him that there were eight different ones.

 

Help me find the correct torque converter!

Subaru wants $500 for a converter, which is more than the car is worth. If I can get a part number, then I can search the aftermarket and get one for maybe $150.

 

The Subaru dealership wanted the VIN, but the parts car is long gone, and that information is no longer available.

Er um, if the car will not go backwards, but will go forwards, its not the torque converter.

 

To test the torque converter, set the parking brake. Put the car in drive. STAND on the BRAKE pedal. Aplly the throttle moderatly fast and read the max engine rpm (do not do this for more then 10 seconds). Report the number back here, as this is the stall speed test. As long as the car doesnt act like its in neutral, (I forget the stall speed RPM) you have a good TC.

 

Next try manually shifting the car from a dead stop. Do all the gears work?

 

DOes the car ever go into reverse?

 

nipper

I told him to get a torque converter for an '86

 

Actually he will need one for an EA81. The tranny's are the same, but the flex-plate on the EA81 may be different than the EA82. I'm not really sure as I hate the 3AT and avoid it like the plague

 

GD

Er um, if the car will not go backwards, but will go forwards, its not the torque converter.

 

To test the torque converter, set the parking brake. Put the car in drive. STAND on the BRAKE pedal. Aplly the throttle moderatly fast and read the max engine rpm (do not do this for more then 10 seconds). Report the number back here, as this is the stall speed test. As long as the car doesnt act like its in neutral, (I forget the stall speed RPM) you have a good TC.

 

Next try manually shifting the car from a dead stop. Do all the gears work?

 

DOes the car ever go into reverse?

 

nipper

 

I'm not replacing the torque converter. I'm swapping the whole transmission, and need a torque converter for an EA82 transmission.

 

I'm going on the assumption that the flexplate/TC bolt patterns are the same.

I'm not replacing the torque converter. I'm swapping the whole transmission, and need a torque converter for an EA82 transmission.

 

I'm going on the assumption that the flexplate/TC bolt patterns are the same.

 

Ah ok i couldnt tell from the post. That makes it easier for me to say the transmission was bad.

 

SUbaru can be quirky in their parts. DOnt make an assumption and grab as much as you can. Maybe give a dealer parts department a call and ask him what the differnces are.

 

nipper

I've got a good used TC from an 88 2WD Turbo 3AT. I'll give it to ya if you pay shipping and you think it will work. I'll cross reference in my books and see what they say. What is the spacing on the Flexplate to TC bolts?

I'll measure it when I get home.

 

Screwing around on Autozone's website led me to believe that the carb models get one type, and the F.I. and turbo models get another.

I'm swapping the whole transmission, and need a torque converter for an EA82 transmission.

 

There's no such thing. There's an EA series 3AT automatic. They came in 2WD and 4WD but were otherwise identical till the introduction of the 4EAT (with the exception of the early top mount starter EA71 auto's). So what you need is an EA81 TC to insure the flex plate bolts, and overall thickness are correct, and that the stall speed and other characteristics are correct for the EA81.

 

GD

There's no such thing. There's an EA series 3AT automatic. They came in 2WD and 4WD but were otherwise identical till the introduction of the 4EAT (with the exception of the early top mount starter EA71 auto's). So what you need is an EA81 TC to insure the flex plate bolts, and overall thickness are correct, and that the stall speed and other characteristics are correct for the EA81.

 

GD

 

This clears it up. I wasn't sure if the 3AT had differences depending on which engine it was bolted to. If they are identical, then I'll just get another T/C for the '84 EA81 car. I'm not much on reusing the old one. I think the car had a shudder problem anyway which I suspected the T/C.

Problem solved.

Found Subaru part number (obsolete, no big suprise there).

Found aftermarket supplier.

Cross referenced.

Someone's gonna order it for me tomorrow.

Thanks for everyones help.

Yep, it's decided to fight me.

There IS a difference in transmissions. I don't know if it's because ea81=/ea82, or if it's a year thing.

Anyway, I didn't feel like I was getting the new torque converter all the way on the splines. The converter looked like it was sticking out too far. Further inspection revealed the problem.

There are three shafts sticking out of the front of the transmission. The large outer shaft, which is fixed and doesn't rotate, is at least 1/2 inch longer on the newer transmission. The torque converter goes on all the way, but sticks out too far on the front.

 

After throwing some rags around, I realized that I had an EA82 flexplate still attached to an engine. After some measuring, I learned that the ea81 and ea82 flexplates have a height difference of about 1/2 inch. In other words, if the crankshaft mounting holes and the converter holes are the same, everything would bolt up. My concern at this point is whether or not the converter snout engages the front seal enough to prevent leaks.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Does anyone have a converter out of an ea82 car so they can measure the snout length?

This torque converter won't work, no matter what. It's snout is long enough to engage the seal, but not the bushing inside.

 

Damn.

I still have that Torque converter. What year and model is the trans you are trying to install? I'm confused which trans you are trying to install in the car.

He is putting a 3at, pushbutton tranny from an 86 carby ea82 into his ea81.

 

*I* am confused as to why he seems to be trying torque converters for the EA82 rather than the EA81.. He says the "shaft" (cant tell which shaft, and I dont know enough about gearboxes to intuit the answer) is too long.. My question is, is the shaft SPLINE position further out from the gearbox, or does this shaft have a nose that sticks out further beyond the splines, into the engine more, or am I lost on which "shaft" this is?

Are you sure when sliding the torque converter on that you're engaging the ATF pump? Its a trick to get it to engage the pump, and can cause the TC to stick out a half inch.

He is putting a 3at, pushbutton tranny from an 86 carby ea82 into his ea81.

 

*I* am confused as to why he seems to be trying torque converters for the EA82 rather than the EA81..

 

The torque converter for the EA81 is the wrong one. I didn't think there was a difference in the transmissions, but there is. To be fair, I don't know if the trans in the '86 was original.

 

This is the old transmission.

 

 

 

 

See the difference? I'm trying to find the torque converter for the second one. The problem is that I don't know exactly what the second one is, because all sources indicate that I already have the correct converter.

If they're both 3AT, those shafts should interchange.

That big shaft that doesn't move is the Stator Support..

 

That's interesting, because the stator support sticks out and just covers more of the input shaft (larger of the two middle shafts) and the oil pump drive shaft (little skinny shaft) but those two shafts aren't any longer, just the stator support.. weird.. You MIGHT be able to swap the stator support, but it's been a while since I've had a 3AT apart...

I'm not sure I want to crack open the case, unless I'm assured it's a walk in the park.

According to http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74594, Mikeshoup wins. Gimmee your email addy so I can paypal you $5.

 

Swapped the shaft, torque converter went all the way in.

Trans 80% installed. Have axles, swaybar, exhaust left. Dexron VI fluid from GM in it. Hope to have it driving by this evening.

*crosses fingers*

I drove it last night. Everything is fine (except for the rotted exhaust and one tire that was waaay out of balance). Trans shifts as good as a 3AT can.

 

Thanks, all.

 

I'll keep updating how the Dexron VI fluid works out.

Completely put back together and running good. Put the balanced tires back on, and went for a drive. Right after that the ancient Die-Hard died. Crappy used wal-mart battery currently resting in it's spot.